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Scotland appoint Johnson as Director, search begins for head coach

scottishrugby.org and James Mortimer 04 May 2013 Getty Images

Scott Johnson has been appointed Director of Rugby for Scottish Rugby. Johnson, who coached Scotland to a third place in the 2013 RBS 6 Nations Championship, will remain as head coach of the national team until that position is filled and will continue to have involvement with the Scotland team through until the 2015 Rugby World Cup and beyond.

For June’s quadrangular tournament involving South Africa, Samoa and Italy, Johnson will be joined by Jonathan Humphreys, as Scotland’s forwards coach, a man who has steered his club to the most league titles in Celtic rugby.

A worldwide search to identify the head coach who will take Scotland to the 2015 Rugby World Cup is on-going.

Scottish Rugby’s Chief Executive, Mark Dodson, has been working with Johnson for some time to assemble the required coaching talent for both the national team and Edinburgh Rugby.

Mark Dodson said: “It’s imperative that we get the right candidate as head coach of the national team to take us to the 2015 Rugby World Cup and Scott and I are working together on this and have thought long and hard about the best solution and people for Scottish Rugby to continue to head in the right direction.

“Johnno (Scott Johnson) has been a popular coach with the players, as underlined by our third place finish in the most recent RBS 6 Nations Championship.

“As he’s said he enjoys hands-on coaching and his reputation in that role has been enhanced by his work with the Scotland team. But he also has other qualities in abundance that we wish to utilise and it was a decision that was made by both parties to get the best structures and systems in place to take Scottish rugby forward.

“The Director of Rugby is a hugely important appointment, one that is absolutely integral to Scotland’s standing on the world stage in the next decade and beyond.

“This appointment is about laying the foundations as we prepare our teams for the key tests of their status that occur along the way to milestones like the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England the and 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.

“Scott will lead on player acquisition and contracting. He’ll be responsible for driving a new Academy structure and for heading up our coach development, which includes our priority of nurturing the next generation of Scottish coaches who can operate at elite level.

“Scotland 7s and Scotland Women will also be significant parts of his remit, while two of the pillars of professional rugby, strength and conditioning and medical, will report into him too along with a significant involvement with the national team.

“As I say, this is an importantly strategic role for Scottish Rugby and Scott is an outstanding candidate.“Until we finalise our search for the next Scotland head coach, Scott will lead the Scotland tour to South Africa this summer.”

Johnson said: “I’m delighted that the discussions I’ve had with Mark have reached such a positive conclusion.

“I’ve really enjoyed working with the players throughout the past year and I’m looking forward to that continuing with our quadrangular tournament in South Africa next month.

“The Director of Rugby job excites me. It’s about making a really positive contribution that will stand Scottish Rugby in good stead for years to come and I am looking forward to the challenge of the new role as well as continuing with the Scotland team.

“There are some big areas such as coach development, player development, sevens and player acquisition, where, working with colleagues throughout Scottish Rugby, I want to do my bit to ensure we make best use of the talents we have to take the game in this country forward.”